The Zambia Under-20 national team looks set suffer a further set-back with the potential withdrawal of Zanaco striker Roger Kola from their Caf Rwanda 2009 Africa Youth Championship away qualifier against Mauritius.
Kola is scheduled to leave for Russia to sign a prospective 6-month short-term deal with and yet to be named Moscow-based top club.
Already, Zanaco midfielder Stophira Sunzu is ruled out due to a trial commitment in France.
Also ruled-out is Lusaka Celtic defender Lameck Tembo including midfielders Tom Bakala and Evans Musonda of Nchanga Rangers and City of Lusaka respectively-all due to injury.
And Kola, who has scored 8 competitive goals this year, was one of three teenage senior national team players recalled for Under-20 duty for the return leg against Mauritius.
Others are his Zanaco club mate Sunzu who has also withdrawn from the squad due to a pending trial commitment with French Ligue 2 side Chateauroux scheduled to start next Tuesday.
Sunzu is expected to l be at French Ligue 2 side Chateauroux where he will be attending trials for the next 2 weeks.
The development means Kabwe Warriors striker Emmanuel Mayuka could be the only one of trio called-up last Tuesday available for the game against Mauritius.
Meanwhile the Zambia Under-20 will tomorrow Saturday play Zanaco in a friendly match at Sunset Stadium.
Zambia enjoys a 1-0 lead from the first leg played on July 29 at Woodlands Stadium thanks to an 18th minute goal scored by Nchanga Rangers Tom Bakala via a free-kick.
Is it impossible to negotiate a convinient time time that these players can leave for trials
I am suprised with our faz. This is the time we need the services of the players. Their trips should have waited.
i thought its national duty first. stophiro sunzu wil be going 4 trials because he went for the under 20 world cup. basiiiiiii.
Either the people at FAZ are incompetent or the players’ agents are incompetent. Clearly these games do not fall on FIFA days, so the issue of Club vs Country favors club in this instance. These players need competent advisors who can negotiate for them. The country needs them.
Maybe it is the job of Coaches to liaise with Agents and vice versa.
I think good coaches should fight to keep their players together. The players will be better off for it in the long term, in terms of credibility, dedication, loyalty, etc. I’m yet to hear about any agents good standards of practice. “Show me the money!”
Some dudes might have the ‘coin,’ but they will never have the ‘kwan.’
Fine. Now if we lose this game against mauritius the technical bench and whoever is responsble for players transfers must go!
I can see gross indiscipline in these junior lads,what are they rushing for.They just want to go and wash plates in restuarants in foreign land so that they can came and boast.
Wait for the opptune time guyz,you are talking about national duty.if you go dont come back pliz!!
I was pleased to hear about Mishek Lungu still playing in Hungary.Young players should emulate such players who have weathered storm after storm yet they remain resilient even at such an age.
The media should at be following and reporting about all zambian players abroad as we the soccer fans would like to hear about where they are and what they are doing.Does any one have a cprehensive list of our players abroad,Please help?
Also i have concerns on six month deal for a young player.On whose interest is such a deal.It not easy to destabilise one self to go and live in a foreigh country.He will still be acclamitising before his contract ends?????????
#6 … isn’t that from Jerry Maguire, mwana? Ndiwe chikali woyi.
#3,4,5 I dont think we have single FIFA recognised agent in Zambia.All we have are players’ spokesmen.These agennts therefore do not give a damn about Zambia’s games at all.We need Zambian players/FIFA agents as a matter of urgency or else we will continue going through these mistakes.
We really needed these players now as Mauritious will not be a push over in their own backyard.These are holes in our own U20 programme and the effects are really bad and long term.Besides Oswald Mutapa Jnr has not been with the team for a long time.I dont even think he has enough experience to call upon in such tight encounters.
Ka Beans mwana, it is from jerry Maguire.
Gibby, the problem of dodgy agents is all across africa, notably in the west where there have been all sorts of stories. I’m not saying all Zambian agents are bad, but when all this stuff (not just the U-20) happens you have to wonder…
We want to see all this stuff managed correctly so Zambia puts out the best team every time. I don’t think the players & agents should jump to the tune of every european team that shows some interest, i think we should have more respect for ourselves to say no, we can’t make it on that date the man has international duties, i’m sure we’ll see respect in return… Let’s get Fifa to recognise some of our agents.
As Oswald Mutapa, he’s getting his experience right now, so good luck to him. I think the team still has enough to play with confidence. Hope we get through to take on Egypt!
I am confident that we will get a favorable result in Mauritius. But we can not go up against Egypt without our best players. For continuity, does anyone think Lwandamina should be involved with U20’s for now?
As for agents, I don’t think we had anybody turn up for the FIFA exam earlier this year. We do need some local chaps involved. FAZ should make this a mandate.
#12 your points taken but i need to point out too that there is no recognised Zambian agent.To qualify as a agent you need to pass an exam and so far
Bane we cannot even be proud of a slender 1-0 lead,if we coudn’t score goals with those players what about when they are out of the team and moreover when we are playing away?This is no time for experiments, instead we should be serious.Nga baya lusa fye uko all the administrators and those players who are puting the country second should be brought to book to be desciplined.
FAZ has no say over this. It is the agent and off course the club to blame. The boys must be told that a national cap is very vital on your cv. Its a wrong move indeed. I recall young Clifford Mulenga putting on hold a lucyrative deal in Isreal because of national duty at the last AFCON. He ended up winning young African footballer of the year. With such background he can’t go for trials but will be signed straight away like Felix ‘Jet Li’ Katongo and Rainford Kalaba. We will continue to dance to foreign agents as long we remain without a qualified agent in the whole nation. Local agents or business managers have no say over such cases. I see a tough battle in Mauritius. Good luck to our lad
FAZ, please, be serious about the selection of the junior chipolopolo team, please to Osward Mutapa Jr. to include Lamisha Musonda to play for his country although young he has much exposure in Europe. We should start using our people and to attract them back to their homeland zambia. Go Chipolopolo Go and finish Mauritius.
#18, you are really thinking in the right direction, but you need not plead with these guys, to include Lamisha Musonda in the U 20 TEAM! That’s what makes them big headed for nothing. LAMISHA MUSONDA IS VERY GOOD AS I HAVE SEEN HIM PLAY IN BELGIUM. All what should be done is to send an invitation letter, then CHARLES MUSONDA (one time BEST MIDDLE FIELDER IN BELGIUM, AFRICA AND ZAMBIA)will release his SON. So simple! The boy has to play for Zambia..